Many people will encounter car issues throughout their day to day life. Unfortunately, most of us do not have the energy, knowledge or time to repair a car on their own. This article contains a number of tricks and tips to help you in repairing your car on your own!

Familiarize yourself with the dashboard of your car. Your dashboard should display five different kinds of warning, including the check engine light, oil pressure warning, an alternator warning, a Additional reading temperature warning and a brake warning. Learn to recognize these different lights so you can easily identify what needs your attention.

Check the fluids in your car regularly. Check the oil level with the dipstick you can find under your hood. The dipstick should have a mark on it to here indicate the ideal oil level. If you need to and check the level again after letting your car run for a few minutes, add a quart of oil.

Always ask lots of questions when you take your car to get repaired. Don't let the mechanic intimidate you. Ask why something needs to be fixed or how it will be done. If the mechanic tries to brush you off, doesn't look at you, or refuses to answer your questions, consider taking your car to someone else.

Communicate with your mechanic as much as possible. Explain the issues you have been encountering with your car and do not hesitate to ask questions to your mechanic if you do not fully understand the repairs that are needed. Ask about prices and do not let your mechanic fix your car until you fully understand charges.

When you are going to get your car repaired at a shop, ask the technician what type of parts they plan to use to get the job done. They would be willing to use new parts if you wanted to pay the extra money, although many places use refurbished parts.

If you are worried about an auto body shop puffing up the amount of work that needs to be get, go and done free diagnostics from somewhere else. Since there is no guarantee you will get work done by them, they have no reason to claim there is more needed than necessary.

There are no standard warranties on repairs. Make sure you are aware of what your warranty covers and that you have it in writing. Warranties may have limitations such as time, deductibles and mileage businesses authorized to do the warranty work or special steps needed to get reimbursement. Know your warranty rights.

You should still wash your car during the winter time. The winter damages your car more than any other season. sand and Salt lead to rust and abrasions. After washing your car, dry it thoroughly to prevent ice formation.

You can fix small dents with a suction cup dent puller. This usually works for very small dents that can easily be covered with the suction cup. You will have to apply some filler into the dent, paint and sand until it becomes invisible, if the cup does not work.

Choose a mechanic that is happy to explain the problem to you. Even if you do not fully understand the problem or what is being done, they should be happy to try their best to inform you about it, even though some mechanics feel that they know so much that the customer could never understand. It is a huge sign that they are a good mechanic all-around.

Prior to leaving your car for a diagnosis, ask the repair shop about any fees associated with it. The auto repair shop absolutely has the right to charge a diagnosis fee, in fact it's pretty standard. If it seems out of line with other prices in your area, you may want to go to another shop, though.

Make sure your car is ready for winter. The cold can be very hard on the vehicle's system so you should properly maintain it. Some things you should do are check the tires, check the antifreeze, replace old wipers, and inspect windshield washer fluid. Driving is hard enough in the winter, so make things easier by making sure your vehicle can handle the harsher weather conditions.

It's always better to make an appointment with an auto repair establishment than to simply drop in. They may need to order parts or prepare equipment in order to deal with your car. If you are unable to set up an appointment, try not to drop in at the opening and closing of the shop. These are the busiest times of day as people who have appointments are dropping off or picking up their cars.

Upon visiting a repair shop, don't hesitate to ask questions. You're putting your car in the hands of people that you may not know. You should find out everything about what they're going to do to the car and how much it will cost. The more you know, the less you'll be surprised when the bill comes.

An auto-log is a great tool for monitoring your vehicles response over a period of time. Every time you stop to fill up the tank, record your mileage and the amount of gas. Mention it to your service repairman if you notice your mileage begins to worsen over time.

You should never put water in your windshield washer compartment. The car's system is meant to handle only washer fluid, though water might work sufficiently to clean the windshield. Check the reservoir regularly, about as often as you check the oil and fluid levels. Do not insist when the compartment seems to be empty.

If you need to have your car towed, look for more details in the user's manual. Some cares should always be toward backwards while other absolutely need to be mounted onto a flat bed. Let the tow truck driver know in advance to make sure he has the proper equipment.

Fixing a car can be a very challenging task for many people due to a variety of reasons, as was discussed at the beginning of this article. With the right knowledge and advice, anyone can fix a car much more easily. Apply this article's advice and you'll be on your way to repairing a car by yourself.